Back rest for chairs



April 1944. F. p. FIELDS ETAL 2,345,926

BACK REST FOR CHAIRS Filed June 5, 1942 Jaw/215a; [v a/2% 24 5s? 01;

Patented Apr. 4, 1944 BACK REST FOR CHAIRS Frank D. Fields and Glenn D. Wood, Elkhart,

Ind., assignors to Posture Research Corporation, Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application June 3, 1942, Serial No. 445,568

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in back rests for chairs and it consists in the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The present invention is more especially concerned with back rests adapted for use in connection with ofiice and similar chairs that include a pair of laterally spaced upright members for supporting the back rest.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a backrest of the kind mentioned wherein the metal employed therein is reduced to a minimum, without impairing its strength or operating efficiency and Without detracting from its appearance or increasing the cost or weight thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a back rest construction, simple and novel means for connecting the back rest to the supporting means and whereby the back rest may be quickly adjusted longitudinally of the upright supporting arms while still having a limited rocking movement so that the back rest readily accommodates itself to the occupants back.

Also, it is an object of the invention to provide a back rest construction wherein it is practical to employ back rest supporting members of wood which are so connected together at the top rear portion as to tie said members rigidly together and at the same time provide a cross rail convenient to grasp when moving the chair about from one place of use to another.

Again,'it is an object of the invention to provide in a back rest construction, a part connecting and bracing the upper portion of the back rest supporting members while forming a recess between the opposed faces of said portion permitting of a greater rocking movement of the back rest without spacing the latter so far forwardly of said portions as to be objectionable in this respect.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others, together with the several advantages thereof will more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a back rest for chairs embodying the preferred form of the invention, in connection with the associated seat.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the back rest shown in Fig. 1 on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through a part of the improved back rest construction as taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on a further enlarged scale of one of a pair of clips embodied in the improvedback rest construction,

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, 5 indicates as a whole the seat of an office or similar chair, at the back of which is a pair of laterally spaced and substantially upright back rest supports or arms 6-6. In this instance, said arms are made of wood, of a square cross section, and the bottom ends of said supports are curved to extend forwardly and under the seat where they are fixed thereto in any suitable manner.

In the upper end portion of each arm is a longitudinal slot 1 that opens through opposite sides thereof. The top end extremity of both arms are connected together at the rear by a bar 8 that is slightly bowed to harmonize with the curvature of the back rest later to be mentioned. This bar, which is also made of wood, is deeper vertically than it is thick and provides a convenient part to grasp by the hand in moving the chair as a whole about from one place of use to 7 another.

somewhat wider than the distance between the,

. two supporting members 6-6 and is curved rear- Wardly at its central portion. As best shown in Fig. 2, the back rest which has a rearwardly curved shape, includes a wooden base 10 which is padded and covered in the conventional manner. Near the side margins of the back rest at the rear thereof are fastened L-shaped metal clips ll, each having a rearwardly extending ear l2, as best appears in Fig. 2. By means of these ears l2, the back rest is operatively connected to the supporting members 6-6 as will now be described.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated one of a pair of substantially Z shaped metal links i3 embodied in the improved backrest construction and which includes an intermediate portion l4 and parallel front and rear apertured arms I5 and I6 which extend in opposite directions from the ends of said portion M. The links mentioned are made of the same kind of stock as the clips IIH on the rear face of the backrest.

The links |3-| 3 are permanently, but pivotally, attached to the clips H on the back rest as follows. The front arm I 5 of each link is disposed to engage the inner surface of the arm [2 of an associated clip and is operatively connected thereto by a rivet IT. The fit between the parts is not a loose one but is a fairly tight one wherein the parts require some pressure to make them turn relatively.

The rear arm [6 of each link is engaged with the inner face of an associated supporting member 6 and a bolt l8, which passes through the slot I in said member from the outer face thereof, has its threaded end extending through the aperture in the arm IE to thereafter receive a nut I9. A washer 2! is disposed between the outer face of each support 6 and the head of the bolt associated therewith and a second washer 2| is disposed between the inner face of each arm l6 and the nut I 9 used with each bolt.

When the parts are assembled. as described, the intermediate portion I4 ofeach link It extends across and substantially engages the front face of the associated back rest support 6. To adjust the height or elevation of the back rest with reference to the seat, the nuts l9 on the bolts l8 are first loosened and an upwardlift or a downward. push upon the back rest will cause the links [3 to slide upwardly or downwardly with respect to the supports 6 into the desired position. In this adjustment of the parts mentioned, the intermediate parts M of the links l3 will so engagethe front face of the supports 6 that said links cannot turn upon the bolts !8 even though the nuts I9 thereon are loosened at this time. After the back rest has been adjusted into the desired position, the nuts [9 are drawn up tight on the bolts l8 and this clamps the links l3 and the back rest in the desired position.

When the occupant of the seat leans back and engages the back rest, it will swing about its riveted connection with the links into the position most comfortable to the occupant. As this back rest is wider laterally than the distance between the members 6-6, its swinging movement onits riveted connection to the links |3I3 is limited by the'engagement of either its top or bottom edges with the front face of thesupports 6-5. However, it is pointed out, that with the bar 8 arranged as described, a recess is present between the opposed faces of the upper portions of the supports 6-6 into which the top central portion of the back rest may enter when it rocks in one direction about the rivets IT, as is indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3. Thus, a greater rocking movement of the back rest is afforded without spacing the .back rest so far forwardly of the plane of the front face of the supports 65 as to be objectionable in this respect.

It is to be notedthat by reason of the construction described, it is possible to make the parts 6 and 8 of wood and this without sacrificing strength or in any way detracting from the appearance of the chair, of which the improved back rest forms a part.

While in describing the invention we have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts involved, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that we do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A back rest for chairs embodying therein laterally spaced, substantially upright supporting members each having a relatively wide front face, a link associated with each supporting memher and including an intermediate transverse portion and substantially right angled oppositely extending front and rear arms at the ends of said intermediate portion, the rear arm of each link being disposed adjacent one side of the asso ciated supporting member with the intermediate portion of said link extending transversely of and in close proximity to said relatively wide front face of said supporting member, a member operatively engaged with the rear arm of each link and mounted on an associated supporting member for adjustment longitudinally thereof, a back rest disposed to the front of said supporting members, and means providing a horizontal pivotal connection between the back rest at points spaced inwardly from the ends thereof, and the front arms of both links and about which the back rest is capable of a limited rocking action.

2. A back rest for chairs embodying therein laterally spaced substantially upright relatively wide and thick wooden supporting members and each having fiat sides and a flat front surface at the upper end portion and in which is a. longie tudinal slot opening through the. side surfaces thereof, a link associated with each member and including an intermediate transverse portion and substantially right angled oppositely extending front and rear arms at the ends of said intermediate portion, the rear armcf each link being.

disposed against the flat inner side of the associated supporting member and the intermediate portion being in close proximity to and extending transversely of the fiat front face of the associated supporting member, a bolt passing through the slot in each supporting member and the rear arm of the link associated therewith, a nut on each belt for tightening the same, a back rest disposed at the front of said supporting members, and means extending rearwardly from the back rest and pivotally connected to the front arms of both links and about which connection the back rest is capable of a limited rocking action.

FRANK D. FIELDS. GLENN D. WOOD. 

